कहिल्यै

Ever and Never

Level 2Sounds Like kahilyai

कहिल्यै with a negative verb means never: म कहिल्यै कफी पिउँदिनँ.

How It Works

कहिल्यै is the open time word, the way कतै is the open place word. With a negative verb it means never: म कहिल्यै कफी पिउँदिनँ (I never drink coffee) and उनी कहिल्यै ढिलो आउँदैनन् (he is never late).

It comes before the verb, near the doer. It does not change. The negative verb carries the whole meaning, so you do not need a second word for not. The respect level of the verb still follows the doer: मेरा बाबा कहिल्यै रिसाउनुहुन्न (my father never gets angry).

Do not put a positive verb after कहिल्यै in a plain sentence. म कहिल्यै कफी पिउँछु is not a Nepali way to say I always drink coffee. For always, use सधैँ.

कहिल्यै in a question asks about any time at all, but those questions usually use the perfect, which comes at a later level.

Examples (4)

  1. म कहिल्यै कफी पिउँदिनँ।

    I never drink coffee.

    The negative पिउँदिनँ gives the meaning never.

  2. उनी कहिल्यै ढिलो आउँदैनन्।

    He never comes late.

    आउँदैनन् is the negative that goes with उनी.

  3. मेरा बाबा कहिल्यै रिसाउनुहुन्न।

    My father never gets angry.

    The honorific negative रिसाउनुहुन्न matches मेरा बाबा.

  4. हामी कहिल्यै बस चढ्दैनौँ।

    We never take the bus.

    चढ्दैनौँ is the negative for हामी.

Common Mistakes

  • Learners use a positive verb with कहिल्यै.

    म कहिल्यै कफी पिउँछु।
    म कहिल्यै कफी पिउँदिनँ।

    कहिल्यै needs a negative verb to mean never. For always, say सधैँ.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

कहिल्यैLevel 2Ever and Never

Learn This First

कहिल्यै means ever and never.